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I. GENDRON. GALVANIG BATTERY.

No. 426,932. H Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

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./(o Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2. V F. GENDRN.

GALVANIG BATTERY.' No. 426,932. Patented'IlpZQ, 1890.

AW/T/x/E55f5 VEN TUR UNITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

GALVANIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,932, dated April 29, 1890. Application tiled February 8, 1889. Serial No. 299,155x (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FERNAND GENDRON, a citizen of France, residing at Bordeaux, in the Department of thel Gironde, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Batteries; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has for its object a new system of electric battery employing two liquids and of great power. The liquids generally used are acidulated water as an exciter and a solution of bichromate of soda or of potash as a depolarizing liquid. -lhe feeding of the liquids is easy, the level of the liquids is always the same, and the discharge of the thoroughly-exhausted liquids is assured.

The drawings annexed to the present specification will aid in the understanding of my perfected battery, and in them Figure l shows a perspective View of the battery in working position. Certain parts are broken away in order to represent better all the constituent parts. Fig. 2 shows the exterior casing wherein the porous cellis arranged. The discharge-pipes for the two liquids are also shown in this figure. Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of the carbon plates or negative electrodes. Figs. 4 and 5 show details of the discharge-pipes, Fig. 4 of the one belonging tothe porousveell, and Fig. 5 of the one belongingto the exterior casing. Fig. 6 shows the manner in which lthose pipes are attached to the inside of the bottom. Fig. 7 shows a carbon electrode. of the zine electrodes. Fig. 9 shows a transverse section of such an electrode. Fig lO shows a transverse section of a part of the porous cell. Fig. l1 is a View of thelaminate-d zine plate forming my soluble elec` trede. Fig. 12 is a holder for the same. Fig. 13 is a View of the holder, part being broken away to show the plate in place therein.

' The exterior casing yl can be made of any material capable of resisting the acids. lt has preferably a rectangular form and only a moderate height. On one of its sides, and by preference in 1the middle of this side, a circular enlargement 2 is arranged, wherein the exhaust-'pipe is-lodged. Fig. 3 shows plainly.

the manner in which the exterior casing is Fig. S shows one` lined. It shows at 4 a plate of carbon arranged in its place, while on the opposite side a similar carbon plate 5 is seen in a position to be pushed downward in its place against the inside of the casii'ig l.. The places 6 and 7 for the end plates are still empty. The plates 4 and 5 are'grooved at S S for the reception of transverse carbon' plates, which form the Vnegative electrode. As shown in Fig.` l, these carbon plates are arranged-bearing alternately against plate -t or plate 5, by which arrangement the liquid of the exterior casing, which is poured in near plate G, is compelled to pass around all those plates before arriving in the neighborhood of the exhaust-chamber 2.

The porous cell is formed in one long piece of a slight height, and the two parallel sides of it are curved in and out in such a way as to form parallel compartments, as plainly shown in the Figs. 2 and rlhe parallel sides are at a distance of about twenty-five millimeters from each other. l The porouscell, consequently, is a winding and narrow canal closed at both ends. This porous cell rests on a 'plate of the same material l1, Figs. l

and l0, which forms theboitom of theporous vessel. This bottom is provided with a hole for the reception of the exhaust-pipe R', Fi l and 5. lly placing the porous Vessel il lO 4in the exterior casing a series of parallel compartnients are formed, which bei-ome alternately parts ol.' the exterior positive vessel or parts ol'. the porous negative vessel, one negative compartment being always placed between two positive com pari-ments. All the porous compartments are in connection with each other; and this is also the case for all the compartments of the exterior vessel. fliy these methods of construction we obtain, in a limited room, a large surface, (titty decimeters about, of working-surface for a battery measuring forty centimeters by sixteen centimeters in height,) and are also enabled to make parallel all working and dcpolarizing surfaces, which are directly opposed. Furthermore, those surfaces are approached to each other as much as possible by arranging be,-

`tween them strata of liquids of a large sec- IOO tion and of a slight width, and all compfnftments of the same denomination are in free communication, while with a Amedium discharge a real current is formed in thosecompartments.

'lhe soluble elect-rode is formed ot as many pieces of '/.inc as there are compartments in the porous vessel. These pieces are entirely immersed in the liquid excitant, which as su rcs their entire and regular wear. The zinc elements which constitute together the soluble electrode are formed as shown in Figs. l l, 12, and 13.' .Instead of taking for the formation of those electrodes thick metallic masses I form themot sheets of laminated zinc, which may be found in the trade for industrial use, to cover ships, gutters, &c. These sheets, which must be of a good quality oi metal and which can be procured easily and at a moderate price, are eut with plateshears to the dimensions of the electrode. The sheets are then each separately amalgamated, and afterward the necessary number to form the elect-rode are joined together or superposed. This electrode consequently is formed ot a number of amalgamated zinc sheets applied one on the other, and consequently presenting to the action ot the liquid of the vessel the exterior faces of the two outside sheets only.

It must be well understood that my system of construction of soluble electrodes secures the continual keeping of the amalgamation, whatever may be their condition of wear. Such is not the case with the massive electrodes, which must be frequently amalgamated before being completely worn.

The drawings annexed to this specification plainly show Vthe construction of this system of electrodes. m' n 1') q are the zinc sheets, put one on the other after being amalgamated. They are contained in a holder, formed into a three-sided frame, as shown in Fig. l2. The

Y bottom Ar bears on the bott-om of the porous cell, and the two upright sides s and t emerg'e from the liquid. The frameis provided on the inside with groovesfor the reception ot the plates, and is made by preference of amalgamated red copper, because the liquids do vnot affect this metal, which is at the same time an excellent conductor. The grooves, arranged in the horizontal part or the bottom fr of this holder, serve also for the purpose of collecting the mercury, which is detached from the Aamalgamated sheets. It is well to be understood that all rights to make these frames ot another material arc reserved.

The holder is provided with an extension c to connect the zine with the conductor, either by means of a screw or by soldering, as it is usual in the practice. These electrodes have the advantage among others that the zinc plates can be easily andwithout interruptil'lg the working ol:l the battery be turned end for end or face for face, and that they can be used to the last sheet without requiring any care.

The negative electrode (positive pole) is formed by plates of retort or agglomerated carbon, and is arranged in the spaces left open by the windings of the porous cell. The four interior carbon linings make part of this electrode. Each of the plates lis provided with a metallic extension, ending in a hook and arranged similar to those of the holders for the zinc electrodes, and which have also for their purpose to unite all the currents on a single conductor. These carbon# plates enna-ge for a distance of several centimeters out of the liquid, and may be even higher than the vessel and are ot a considerable thickness. I have multiplied for' the carbon electrode the number of plates and the number of points where they take the current with the double purpose of using carbonplates of a common construction, and espe cially to make up for the known feeble conductivityoi carbon for intense currents. Fxperience has shown this insuicient conduct` ivity of sin gle carbon-plates, because in cases where it has been deemed suicient to give a great carbon clectrodeonly one coni act, even if the carbon has been of a considerable surface, the apparatus has become heated anda great deal ol energy has been thereby lost.

The exhaust-pipes .R R work in the following manner: 'lhe pipe It serving for the depolarizing liquid of the exterior vessel l is placed in the part 2 between the inside of the casing and the carbon-plate 7, which is provided with an opening on its under end opposite the chamber 2. The exhausted liquid, which through its density goes to the bottom of the vessel, can by this way penetrate into the chamber Q, and as fast as fresh liquid is introduced in the other end the exhausted liquid is driven into the chamber 2, where the liquid will of course Vbe at a level with that in the exterior vessel, because the vessels communicate. Consequently the chamber 2 is constantly llcd with exhausted liquid, and so the pipe 12, which is attached to the bottom, as shown in Fig. 6, is of course surrounded by exhaustcd liquid. As fresh liquid is fed into the outer chamber, the level of the exhausted liquid will also rise, and as soon as it reaches 13 it finds in the pipe 12 openings 14, allowing it to ow through the interior of the pipe. Fig. 5 shows the foot of this pipe 12, which is attached to a nut 15, screwed to the bottom. The discharge-opening is at the under end of the pipe and the cxhausted liquid drops into a small reservoir, from which it may be conducted to the sewer in any suitable way. .The tube R', which serves for the discharge of the liquid out of theporous cell, is constructed and works in a similar way-it is shown in 20, Fig. 4--and instead of a chamber 2, I prefer to use a plain concentric tube 21, provided at its lower end wil-h openings 22. 'lhc exhausted liquid rises between the two pipes until its surface reaches the overflow-olienings, when it escapes, as above described.

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It is eas ily to be understood that with a constant feeding of the liquids the discharge .of the exhausted liquid must also be constant.

Fig. 6 shows a position of the pipe wherein this pipe works like a cock and allows the complete cleaning of the corresponding vessel. Mud'Tcocks might of course also be applied for this purpose if the turning-pipe should be objected to.

The contact-points of all negative electrodes may be united on one rod, either by a screw arrangement or by soldering, as shown in Fig. l.

I-Iaving thus described my invention and reserving for myself the right to make any modification of the arrangement of any of the parts of the apparatus, and also the proportions, dimensions, and materials used in the 'construction I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In an electric battery, the combination, with an exterior casing` or" a porous cell formed in one long piece with connected parallel compartments, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric battery, the combination, with the exterior casing, of the -removable electrode-plates 4 5, fitting said casing and having grooves 8, and the transverse electrodeplates ttin g said grooves, substantially as set `forth.

3. In an electric battery, the herein-de-- scribed electrode, consisting of a series of metallic plates superposed upon each other, each plate being amalgamated upon both sides, and

means for holding said plates together, con- 35 sisting of a flanged frame in which said. plates it side by side, substantially as set forth.

vthe passage of the liquid, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electric battery, a zigzag. or S- shaped porous cell, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electric battery, an overflow comprisingapipe or compartment having an opening at or near its bottom to receive the exhausted liquid, and a second pipe or duct situated Within said compartment adapted at its top to receive said Liquid, and, leading through the bottom to the exterior of the bat.- tery, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electric battery, the combination, with the casing, of a sleeve or bearing secured therein and having a lateral opening, and an overiioW-pipe fitting and adapted to turn in said bearing and having a corresponding opening, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Il have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, FERNAND GENDRON.

Witnesses:

REN DUPRATE, GREGORY PHELAN. 

